A force stronger than nature
by orange twilight
Summary: AL slash: Legolas has found his one true love, after a few false starts, and now all he has to do is make Aragorn see that he can make him happy. Slight LE at start
1. Before

I had always known in my heart that I loved Aragorn, it is said that Mirkwood elves can only truly love the once, and that love will last forever. As I grew I could see examples of this all around me from my parents, before my mother faded, to my friends and my siblings, everyone seemed to find true love, everyone but me. I remember the first time I thought that I was close, I was visiting Rivendale for the first time in over one hundred years. The sun shone brightly on our party as we were led through the grand forest, the large stone gateway towered above us as we entered into the city itself, as was customary with royal visits Lord Elrond and his sons were there to great us, the twins had fully matured and stood proud images of their father, they smiled warmly when our eyes met. There was a time when the three of us were young that we were inseparable. Lord Elrond greeted us with a warmth that I knew father did not deserve, whilst at home he could barely hide his contempt of the compassionate elf, the only reason that we were in Rivendale at all was to ask for their help. A week pasted amiably enough I took every opportunity to spend time with the twins, we would hunt and practise our archery, then one morning a messenger arrived with ill news. My eldest brother, the crown prince, had been injured in a skirmish with orcs and father had no other thought but to return to him as quickly as possible. He left me there to continue negotiations with Lord Elrond on his behalf.

"I am sorry to hear about your brother." Lord Elrond said as I entered the grand hall. I bowed respectfully to him, knowing that I was out of my depth. "Please be seated."

"It is not the first time something like this has happened, the orcs grow bolder with every passing day."

"Yes so I hear, and I do believe that in his own way your father was trying to ask for our help."

"That he was." I replied with a slight smile.

"Although I have to admit I do not think that I will be able to offer much assistance."

"Oh?" was all I was able to reply, his frankness shocked me.

"We all have our own battles to fight Legolas, you may not believe it but even here a shadow grows."

"I understand." I stood unable to hear his petty excuses any more, maybe my father had been right about him all along, didn't he realise that without his aid Mirkwood could fall into darkness taking with her all who dwelled within her reach.

"I am truly sorry."

"What?" suddenly I was angrier than I can ever remember being, was this the end of my home. I span round to face him. "I am sure that as our people lie dieing your sympathy will be a great comfort."

"You think that I want this to happen?" He stood facing me, "When the cry of your dieing forest hurts me even now, when I can see the pain etched so clearly on your face."

"Well what I am supposed to think when you seem unable to grasp the severity of our plight, but then my father has always taught me to be wary of those who appear altruistic. There is no such thing." I turned to leave, the fight ebbing away.

"Wait," he caught my arm, "the words you speak are true."

Bemused I faced him. "I do not understand my Lord."

"I have shamed myself greatly and ask your forgiveness." He lowered his head slightly.

"There is nothing to forgive, you are entitled to act on your opinions as am I."

"I will help you fair prince."

'fair prince' did I really hear him right, he thinks me fair? My confusion must of shone through.

"You are beautiful Legolas, surely you realise this?"

"I am nothing special, but that is neither here nor there, are you going to help us or not?"

"­I will, I did not mean to offend you with talk about your beauty."

"I…" he saw my face flush and stopped my speech.

"Have you never been told?" Slowly he raised a hand to my face and gently stroked it. "My father," I began lowering my gaze from his, "tells me that looks are not important, and then he laughs and says that it is just as well."

"I did not realise that he could be so cruel to his own flesh and blood, but surely you have had lovers?" I nodded, "then they must of told you constantly how wonderful you are."

"Poisonous whispers my father called it, trying to gain my favour with pretty words because I am a prince." There was silence for a moment as Lord Elrond absorbed this.

"You believe this?" he asked at last. I nodded quietly. "Then take it from me, I am not someone trying to gain your favour, you are beautiful to me."

"Thank you my Lord." I turned to leave, and felt a hand upon my shoulder, I turned to face him and suddenly he was standing so close, love shinning in his eyes.

We kissed that day and I saw in him a love I had longed for, desperately sought for so long. We quickly became lovers and I stayed in Rivendale for months, believing that I had found my one true love. But a summons from my father shattered that and suddenly I realised that my search had barely begun, although I always believe that he loved me.


	2. Love

The next time I saw Elrond or Rivendale was at the council meeting, I had received a letter from Elrond asking me urgently to come to Rivendale on the matter of the utmost importance. I had already met Aragorn by now he had come to visit Mirkwood in his youth some seventy years ago, and we had quickly become friends much to my fathers disappointment, as he viewed Elrond's charge with the same contempt as the Lord himself. I was not ready to see him as a man, to see that no matter how he tried his majesty shone through. That was why I spoke out at the council as I did, that man did not even deserve to be included in our council let alone the next in line for the stewardship of Gondor. My rash words earned me a disapproving look from my old friend as he bade me sit. It was a few hours later when he finally caught up with me, I was walking through the forest remembering my time with Elrond when he suddenly shouted to me.

"Legolas wait!" He rushed to catch me up, "How are you old friend?" he asked pulling me into a deep embrace.

"I am well Aragorn, and you?" I asked as we parted.

"Oh Legolas it is so good to see you, and to be here in Rivendale."

"I have heard all about your adventures with the rangers, and the hobbits of course."

"Yes a lot has changed since I saw you last, but you, you look just like I remember you." He smiled widely. We started to walk and he talked about what he had been doing, at last we came to a stop.

"Legolas?"

"Yes?"

"About earlier at the meeting…" he trailed off.

"Ahh yes I did wonder when you might bring that up, and I am sorry for telling Boromir of your heritage, it was your right and yours alone." I bowed my head slightly, suddenly embarrassed by my rash actions earlier.

"You do not need to apologise, dear Legolas," he lifted my chin with his hand and we stared into each others eyes. A moment seemed to stretch across eternity as we got lost in each others eyes, I could not break the spell and I knew then that I had found my one true love.

"Aragorn?" A female voice called, quickly he turned away to face Arwen. "there you are father has been looking for you.

"Arwen how are you?" I asked despairing at their closeness

"I am well Legolas, have you told him Aragorn?"

"No I … uhh." He stumbled not looking at me.

"We are to be betrothed." She revealed the joy clear in her words.

"Betrothed?" I could scarcely believe it, the pain that news brought I might as well loved him for a centaury not a mere handful of moments, quickly I smiled and congratulated them although Aragorn did not look pleased at Awren's sudden announcement. She pulled him away by the arm. I stood and watched them leave staring at nothing for a long time until the light started to fade.

* * *

As dusk fell I slowly began to walk away I felt as if I was in a dream, on the one hand I felt this unimaginable love bloom within me and I knew I should be singing from the tree tops after so long I had found my one true love. But on the other hand I felt like I could no longer bare to live, the man I now loved so completely was in love with another, and more than that they were getting married, bound together for all time. This could not be happening to me. Glancing around I saw them together, below me, standing on a small bridge bathed in moonlight, I caught the sound of their whispered words and the love that filled them, and then she was giving something to him, with a start I realised that it was her pendant, her life her love her immortality, there was no way I could compete with that.

"Legolas," a voice whispered by my ear I span round to come face to face with Elrond, "Let us leave them." He said guiding me by the arm back towards the last homely house. We walked silently through the halls as he guided me to my rooms once inside he started to speak.

"His love for her wanes even as we speak."

"I do not understand?" He couldn't know.

"Your love has been foreseen, my dear sweet Legolas everything will work out you'll see." He moved closer and embraced me, we stood there for a long time silently remembering what had been, and he poured his strength into me for the trials yet to come.

A month or more had passed and finally the fellowship was ready to head out, a large number of people had gathered to bid us farewell, Elrond and Arwen among them.

"We all wish you well," Elrond's voice rang clear, "May your feet stay strong and your heads clear." The hobbits started to file out Gandalf beside them.

"Aragorn!" Arwen called "Be strong." He smiled and turned to follow Gimli and Boromir out of the gate.

"Legolas my sweet," Elrond caught me with a loving gaze, "All roads lead to the west." I nodded and turned, I knew what he was saying, he was telling me to be strong and that everything would work out, I had felt the burden lift as I shared my feelings with him over the last month he had made me strong again and for that I am eternally grateful.

* * *

I hung back for those first days keeping my distance from everyone, watching them as they talked and planned our journey ahead it seemed my counsel was not needed as it was never asked for, so I remained alert at all times doing the only thing I could to help our plight. Night had fallen and I hung back away from the warmth of the fire as normal all but hidden in shadow, Aragorn had taken the first watch and on seeing me beckoned me closer to the fire to sit beside him.

"Are you cold?" He asked me as I sat beside him.

"No."

"I am," he admitted, "There is a bitter wind."

"Yeah there is, you should sit closer to the fire."

"If I sit any closer I'll lose my eyebrows." He laughed, "you don't mind if I…" He inched closer.

"Not at all, I uh…" He shifted closer still and tentatively I put my arm around him, my heart missed a beat when he relaxed and lent his back fully against my chest, we sat in a comfortable silence for a moment as Aragorn's face clouded with thought.

"What are you thinking about?"

"When we left Rivendale Lord Elrond spoke to you."

"Yeah,"

"Why did he call you Legolas my sweet?"

"It was a difficult parting for us both, the quest could easily claim my life and we were close once."

"You must have been very close, its an endearment I've rarely heard him use."

"There was a time when we were intimate."

"What?" Aragorn asked moving away from me to face me, "you and Elrond, never!"

"Ssh you'll wake the others," he chuckled and much to my relief returned to lean against me. "What is so unbelievable about it?"

"Well I have never known him take a lover, throughout my life he has gone without."

"He has?" Surely not?

"Yes I asked him about it once and he said that he had lost someone very special recently and that he was not ready to make that commitment again."

"I had no idea, we were only together for a few months close to ninety years ago."

"He must of loved you greatly."

"He never appeared to, but I guess your right."

We sat quietly for what seemed like forever him leaning against me my arms around him, eventually he rose to wake Gimli his watch over, and he made me promise to get some sleep.

* * *

It was in Moria where our relationship seemed to turn, the mines were so dark, so lifeless I felt like I was drowning doomed never to see the sky again, I tried more easily and resting was impossible, I barely eat and spoke even less. We had stopped for our third night, assuming it was night of course, oh how I longed to see life again. Aragorn had taken first watch and he came over to where I sat huddled in a dark corner.

"Legolas," worry coloured his words, "are you alright."

"I'm fi…"

"No your not," he cut me off, he sat beside me and pulled me into a tight embrace, I felt so safe in his arms like I could tell him everything and I didn't have to be the unmoveable Legolas always silent and strong, with Aragorn I could just be afraid. I started to weep gently, he soothed me and stroked my hair, it was almost as if he loved me. After a moment I pulled away.

"Sorry."

"Don't be, I can't imagine how hard it is for you to be trapped down here."

"This whole place is tainted with death, I feel… it's like I can't move its pulling me down and I can't breathe."

"Its okay," he took my face in his hands, "I'm here and I am not going to let anything happen to you." I smiled wearily at him, suddenly feeling so tired.

"Have you been able to rest?"

"No."

"Come here and lie down." I did as he asked and laid down my head on his lap, he stroked my hair and whispered in Elvish to me until I could finally rest. I slept better that night than I had in such a long time.


End file.
